Obituary
Loving husband of the late Gertrude "Trudy" Brostoff, nee Reisberg. Cherished father of Fred (Shelly) Brostoff, Dan (Diana) Brostoff and Janice (Eric) Henry. Adored grandfather of Alan (Merydith) Brostoff, Jennifer (Brian) Kramer, Kevin Brostoff, David and Drew Cardaci, Sarah and Jacob Henry, Lisa Grossman and Dina (Douglas) Borchardt. Treasured Great Grandfather of Hannah, Evan, Ethan, Aria, and Zechariah. Dear brother of the late Harry (the late Francis) Brostoff, Herman Brostoff, Rose (the late Louis) Kagan, Abe (the late Florence) Brostoff, Irving (the late Laura) Brostoff and Eva (the late Leonard) Gordon. As the youngest of 7 children, Ben was born and raised in Chicago during the "Roaring 20s" and the ensuing Depression. Ben enlisted in the Navy in February, 1942, right after the attack on Pearl Harbor...even though, at age 27, he had just graduated from law school and had passed the Illinois bar exam. In June, 1942, while in the Navy, Ben married his beloved Gertrude "Trudy," also of Chicago. Theirs was a true love affair which lasted almost 65 years, until her death in 2007. Seeking more action, in March of 1943, Ben resigned from the Navy to enlist in Officers Candidate School of the U.S. Marine Corps. As part of the Third Marine Division, Ben participated in the assault on Iwo Jima and received a Purple Heart medal as a result of injuries sustained while on Iwo Jima. He was later awarded the rank of Captain while in the USMC reserves. After WWII, Ben resumed his law practice in Chicago, focusing on immigration and international adoption. While it was far from lucrative, he was committed to helping people create families and supporting the legal requirements of those in need. After years of strategizing and brainstorming with his beloved brother-in-law, the late Ira Eichner, Ben joined the company founded by Mr. Eichner, becoming the General Counsel for AAR Corporation at age 50. While he was developing a highly respected business and legal reputation, Ben was also busy raising 3 children with his wife Trudy. Always present at his kids' activities and ensuring his larger family stayed connected, he was truly cherished by all around him. He was a committed community member, supporting a variety of local organizations and was quite proud when he was asked to serve on the Park District Board. He was later named to the Board of Directors of AAR Corp, another role of which he was quite proud. He retired at age 75 in 1990. A few years ago, General Peter Pace, then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presented Ben with a plaque recognizing Ben’s contribution to the military efforts of the United States during World War II. Ben continued to played golf into his 90s. He enjoyed bridge and poker with his friends at Sedgebrook, an independent living retirement community where he resided for the last 11 years. While at Sedgebrook, he was actively involved with and held positions in several organizations within the community, even creating bylaws for one of those groups. He never backed down from a challenge and continued to write to his government representatives well into his 90s, advocating for matters of importance to him, especially the environment. At age 92, Ben bought an environmentally friendly Toyota Camry Hybrid and purchased a 7 year extended warranty. Always the optimist, he proved himself right by outliving the warranty. Ben continued to provide sage advice to his 3 children, 9 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren until he peacefully passed away in his own apartment, where he was cared for by his dedicated and loving caregiver, Yelesani Mwale. Services Monday, 10 AM at Temple Chai, 1670 Checker Rd., Long Grove. Interment Shalom. Memorials in his memory to The Heart of A Marine Foundation, www.heartofamarine.org, or Temple Chai, www.templechai.org would be appreciated. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Buffalo Grove Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com
Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals. www.chicagojewishfunerals.com